The United States has issued sanctions against the leadership of the FSB

The detention of Ukrainian sailors at a meeting of sudatta photo: Maxim Blinov / RIA Novosti

In the U.S. Congress introduced a bill “About the termination of aggressive attacks on freedom by the law on sanctions against Russia,” according to the website of one of the authors of the bill, the house of representatives member from the Democratic party Marcy Kaptur.

The congressmen propose to introduce sanctions against 24 high-level representatives of the FSB of Russia and their closest associates for “illegal detention” of Ukrainian seafarers and ships in the Kerch Strait. “The international community must not stand aside when Russia is increasing its aggression in Europe and worldwide”, — said in a statement.

Co-authors of the bill were Democrat Mike Quigley and Republican Andy Harris and Brian Fitzpatrick.

Currently in Russia are under investigation 24 Ukrainian servicemen (22 seafarers and two security officers), who were detained along with three ships in the incident in the Kerch Strait in November 2018. They are accused of illegal crossing of the Russian border in an organized group. On last July 17 the session of the Lefortovo court of Moscow has decided to extend the arrest of the detained Ukrainians to 24 October.

Kiev considers its citizens and prisoners of war needs to return to Ukraine, a similar verdict in may issued a UN international Tribunal on law of the sea. Moscow believes that the issue is outside the jurisdiction of this court, and insists that the fate of the sailors must decide the investigation and trial in Russia.